


Nothing Stronger Than Faith

by Katybug1992



Category: Newsies - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Modern AU, No Dialogue, Tumblr ficlet, concerned Spot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-12-25 17:17:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12040557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katybug1992/pseuds/Katybug1992
Summary: From the beginning, Faith meant everything to Race.  From the beginning Spot just went through the motions.





	Nothing Stronger Than Faith

**Author's Note:**

> Posted to my Tumblr. It started out just the first two paragraphs then got out of hand. Partially inspired by the scene from the "Two Cathedrals" episode of West Wing.

Race is a devote Catholic. He blames on his heritage, his Irish father and Italian mother, devote Catholicism runs in his genes. He never misses Mass or Confession (sometimes going twice a week if Jack pulled him into a particularly non-thought out or straight stupid scheme). He doesn’t take the Bible literally, and has had many spirited debates with those who do, but he does believe that God loves everyone and that Jesus was a manifestation of that love, come to Earth to teach love and acceptance of all God’s creation.

Spot’s parents drag him to Mass every Sunday, and he just goes through the motions, not really caring. His family attends the same Parish as Race, they always have. Race is his first friend and the more he watches Race in service, and talks to him about everything outside of church, the more he understands. He never gets to Race’s level, but he understands where Race is coming from. He sits next to Race, in the front pew, every service. When he asks Race out on a date, and then (later) to be his boyfriend, he does it quietly, sitting in the pew next to Race and waiting for Mass to start.

All that changes though when Race’s mother is diagnosed with Stage Four breast cancer, and passes away shortly after, when Race is sixteen. Race stops attending Mass and Confession completely, he packs his well thumbed Bible and all his prayer journals away, he cancels his subscription to his Daily Devotions service, he shuts down all conversation about Faith, even ignores phone calls from Father Denton. Spot’s at a loss of what to do. He’s asked everyone for suggestions, but none of them work and some of them are just plan stupid (seriously, Spot is never going to talk to Jack again if everything that comes out of his mouth is as stupid as his suggestion). At a loss, he talks to Father Denton, who tells him to remind Race of why he loved the Church to begin with.

So, on a boring overcast day, Spot tells Race he has a surprise for him and ties a blindfold over his eyes and drives them to their Parish. Race doesn’t need to be able to see to know where they are. He would know the creaking of the door and the echo of footsteps in the empty room anywhere. He pulls off the blindfold and demands that Spot tell him why they’re there. Spot asks him to hear him out and leads Race to the front pew, right in front of where the Rose Window above the door shines a perfect reflection on the carpet on days when the sun is shining. They sit down, staring straight ahead, and Spot takes Race’s hand gently. He explains that this seat means the world to him. That this is where he met his best friend, where he fell in love, where he learned that you don’t get your Belief from someone talking at you, you get it from self-reflection, you get it looking at the world around you, you get it by looking at those in your life. He tells him that everything he knows about Faith, and Belief, and God, he learned from Race. And that he understands why Race is going through this crisis of Faith, but that he also knows that Race will beat this, he will overcome it because no one is more stubborn than he is. He tells Race that if he needs help, he only needs to ask for it. 

Race, who had been silently crying since they sat down, fully breaks apart. Spot clutches his boyfriend tightly, offering as much comfort as he can as Race all but yells at God, President Bartlett style. Demanding to know why He took his mother, why He didn’t give Race enough time to say good-bye. Tells Him about the Faith that her family had always had in Him, demands to know why everyone else in her family survived sickness, wars, long sea voyages, and lived to be old, but his mother, who dedicated her life to helping children with disabilities and mental disorders, why she had to die before she turned 50. Demands to know if it was punishment for loving another male, asks if his father will be next since he doesn’t plan on going straight anytime soon. Cries out for some kind of sign that God is even real, because he needs to know that there was a Greater Reason for his mother dying. Spot sits there, holding his sobbing boyfriend and unsure of what to do. Suddenly, the Sanctuary got brighter and the reflection of the Rose Window appeared in front in front of them. Spot huffed out a laugh of disbelief and Race smiled, wiping his face. Looking over to the Confession box, he saw Father Denton. He stood up on went into his side, shutting the door behind him. Spot sat staring at the reflection, turning to face the window itself, hoping to find a man-made explanation of some kind.

After that, things return to normal. Race is at every Mass and goes to Confession twice a week, dragging Spot with him. Spot pretends like it’s a chore, like he doesn’t really want to be there but he goes because Race asks him to, but they both know that it’s an act. Whenever Race feels himself struggle, all he has to do is look at Spot. Because for him, Spot is proof of God’s existence and God’s plan. And Spot has always believed that God’s love shines through Race, he just needs to look at the Rose Window for validation. 

Years later, they get married on an overcast day. When they kiss to seal the union, the sun hits the window and the design and colors of the window are reflected down on them. Spot lets of a laugh and Race grins, crossing himself before letting Spot lead him back down the aisle and out of the Parish.


End file.
